One hundred year old news and gossip by Lisle Foote
One hundred years ago this month, Grace Kingsley was writing about the usual assortment of casting news and Hollywood party-going, and she debunked some gossip about Rudolph Valentino. On the twelfth she mentioned that despite the rumors, his first wife Jean Acker wasn’t going to marry him again. They had been seen together in New Continue reading "A Terrible Shock: August 1926"
One hundred and ten years ago this month, Grace Kingsley mentioned a big event in downtown Los Angeles: There are a few patriots among the motion-picture people, who proved it by turning out in the preparedness parade yesterday. Charles Clary and William Burness from the Fox company, and Dot Cummings and Ray Meyers are among Continue reading "A Step Towards War: June 1916"
One hundred years ago this month, Mary Pickford sent Grace Kingsley a letter from Montecantini, Italy all about her travels with her husband, Douglas Fairbanks: You would be most happy to see the delightful reception we have met with all through Italy, Naples, Genoa, Florence and Rome, by the Fascisti, artists, and the social world. Continue reading "Carmel Myers Sets Her Straight: June 1926"
One hundred and ten years ago this month, Grace Kingsley wrote about a new film company: The expected has happened—a motion picture company organized and controlled by women. The American Woman Film Company is its name, and its finances are backed up almost entirely by wealthy literary society women of this locality, whose avowed intention Continue reading "At least they tried: May 1916"
One hundred years ago this month, Grace Kingsley noticed a new trend: “In all your life put together you probably have never seen so many circuses as you are seeing and are going to see in the movies these days.” She was right—the number of circus films had doubled to 20 in 1925 and stayed Continue reading "Too Many Pagliaccis: May 1926"
One hundred and ten years ago this month, Grace Kingsley mentioned a film that addressed the war in Europe while also having box-office success: Capacity houses all day yesterday marked the beginning of the second week of the big Ince production, Civilization. The wonderful allegory, with its powerful, logical plea for peace, its condemnations of war, Continue reading "Good Timing: April 1916"
One hundred years ago this month, Grace Kingsley reported, using language that was acceptable at the time, that there might be a new movie star on the horizon: Perhaps the first colored person to star in pictures will be Carolynne Snowden, who is no longer to be let to hide her dramatic talents under the Continue reading "A Spellbinding Whirlwind: April 1926"
One hundred and ten years ago this month, Grace Kingsley alerted the public to a new comedy with an unusual feature: Those who have followed the startling developments in the art of trick photography are said to have further sensations awaiting them when The No-Good Guy, in which William Collier is starred, is presented to the Continue reading "A Forgotten Film: March 1916"
One hundred years ago this month, Grace Kingsley mentioned that a group of professionals thought that that grown women shouldn’t be called babies: The Wampi have been duly kidded out of calling their elected feminine stars by the infantile title of ‘baby stars’ through the efforts of the Wasps, the feminine contingent of publicity writers, Continue reading "Don’t call them girls, either: March…
One hundred and ten years ago this month, Grace Kingsley mentioned yet another beauty contest with a studio contract as a prize: “Now the thing’s going to be settled, and will be off our minds for good and all. They’re just all being pushed in by main strength, those beautiful motion-picture actors who are featured Continue reading "Sauce for the Goose: February 1916"